The Sunday Mail
Munyaradzi Musiwa in Gweru
Hwahwa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 2
FC Platinum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1) 1
NORMAN MAPEZA finds himself between a rock and a hard place after his expensively assembled FC Platinum outfit succumbed to their second consecutive Castle Premier Soccer League defeat at Ascot yesterday.
A Roy Useni double gave Hwahwa their debut Premiership win while Tarisai Rukanda found the net for the visitors.
Mapeza, who was a victim of verbal abuse after his side fell 1-2 away to Harare City, insists he won’t walk away but there are signs that some members of the FC Platinum executive are running out of patience with the championship winning coach.
A section of the club’s fans once again expressed their frustrations after FC Platinum’s fourth league defeat in six outings.
However, a defiant Mapeza, who won the championship with the now defunct Monomotapa in 2008 despite losing his first four games, insists he can still turn things around at the miners.
“You become so worried if you see how we are playing football and the chances that we are creating and failing to utilise.
“In addition to that we concede soft goals.
“When we played Harare City we were again on top of the situation but we lost.
“We are not scoring despite the fact that we are creating a lot of chances.
“We have no option but to keep fighting” he said.
After a cagey opening Useni thrust Hwahwa into the lead after latching on to a long ball from the deep before beating Francis Tizayi on 45 minutes.
However, the home side’s lead lasted only a few seconds as Rukanda restored parity straight from kick off as Hwahwa were caught napping.
FC Platinum came out firing in the second half but former Dynamos goalkeeper Phillip Nhete pulled some fine saves to keep his side in the game.
Then Useni ensured himself a permanent place in the history of Hwahwa when he scored the winning goal on 61 minutes.
Substitute Malvern Nyakabangwe’s flick on beat a flat footed Gift Bello and settled perfectly into the path of Useni who calmly beat an exposed Tizayi.
Whawha coach Lloyd Mutasa could not hide his joy after registering his first win at the club and shed the tears of joy when referee Allen Basvi blew the final whistle.
“We are happy that we registered a win because a series of loses and draws was now affecting the confidence of my players. I am hoping that we find the rhythm, maintain the momentum and keep going forward.
“I do not know whether it is by coincidence that I win against my former club. Each time I move away from a team I beat them in my first meeting with them,” he said.
Teams
FC Platinum: F Tizayi, R Muduviwa, Elvis Moyo, Donald Ngoma, K Moyo, W Kamudyariwa, W Mhango (W.Mutasa 89 min), G Bello, W Musona (E Mandiranga 76 mins), T Rukanda, A Gahadzikwa
Whawha: P Nhete, K Chidzero, V Madamombe, J Konono, B Chikwetekwete, D Nhamo, G Saunyama, R Useni, O Lungu (P Maburutse 90 mins), A Matewu (M Nyakabangwe 48 mins), T Jukulile (S Zimora 71 mins).
